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In two places at once

20 December 2012 Reporter

Whilst every PM should be on top of current legislation, when you live across two jurisdictions like award-winning property manager Alexandra Scott, it could mean the difference between keeping and losing your job

With the stresses and high volumes of work facing the average property manager, some PMs feel they need to be in two places at once. Alexandra Scott from Peter Blackshaw Queanbeyan actually does.

As Queanbeyan sits on the border of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, she must be across both of the area’s changing legislations. For instance, NSW looks to the Property, Stock and Business Agents Act 2002 while ACT real estate agents follow the Agents Act 2003.

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On a daily basis the award-winning property manager deals with tenants and landlords on either side of the border, but she says it’s all she has ever known.

“When you live in an area like this, and you’re a local, then you have done it from the start and it is all you know,” she explains. “There are differences, but you’ve learnt both [laws], you just have too.”It can make the job difficult.

“I must admit I sometimes think living in an area with one set of rules would be much easier, especially for new staff.”

Plans to introduce a national licensing scheme to the real estate industry would make her life that little bit easier, although this won’t remove the need to adhere to each state and territory’s real estate laws.

“A property manager must learn their systems and procedures and stick to them, especially the legislation,” she says. “If you don’t know something, then ask a question. We are dealing with the biggest assets that people will probably ever have, so there is an emotional attachment too.”

READ the full interview in the latest issue of Residential Property Manager – ON SALE NOWClick here to subscribe to Residential Property Manager.